ricin

American  

[rahy-sin, ris-in] / ˈraɪ sɪn, ˈrɪs ɪn /

noun

Chemistry.

1. a white, poisonous, protein powder from the bean of the castor-oil plant.

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ricin British  

/ ˈrɪs-, ˈraɪsɪn /

noun

1. biochem a highly toxic protein, a lectin, derived from castor-oil seeds: used in experimental cancer therapy

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ricin Scientific  

/ rī′sĭn,rĭs′ĭn /

1. An extremely poisonous protein extracted from the castor bean. Ricin inhibits protein synthesis in cells, and is used as a biochemical reagent and in cancer research.

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Etymology

Origin of ricin

1895–1900; < New Latin Ricinus name of genus, Latin: castor-oil plant

Example Sentences

Ministers had been kept informed of these developments, but another three months would pass before the police publicly announced the discovery of the ricin and the al-Qaeda manual.

From BBC

Tests at Porton Down, the government's biological warfare laboratory, confirmed the substance was ricin, a poison for which there is no antidote.

From BBC

But after discovering the ricin and manual they did not immediately make this public.

From BBC

Castor plants are banned in the U.S. because they also produce ricin, a dangerous poison.

From Science Daily

Subsequent tests confirmed the presence of ricin, according to court records.

From Seattle Times